Question
Help!  Crab Grass has taken over large patches of my lawn, and almost the entire front lawn.  I've tried to be dedicated and used various products, though I've neglected to get a soil test.  Two part question...1)What would you suggest as an organic alternative to controlling crab grass?...and 2) what types of grass would you suggest I use as a starter in poor soil conditions?

Answer
Hi EJ,

A fellow CT citizen!  Good to hear from you.  I live in Bethel, so I know your climate well.  

Poor Soil:  I get this question a lot, and the truth is that without a good base, the grass will always be only mediocre.  It's like building a house on a poor foundation, then asking about how best to care for a house with a bad foundation.  There's not a whole lot that can be done to counter a problem like that.  That said, Tall Fescue would be my best suggestion as a tough, resilient grass for our neck of the woods.

Crabgrass:  This isn't a bad soil issue, other than the fact that the existing lawn suffers, thereby allowing crabgrass to encroach.  The only organic approach I can suggest is to remove the bad soil, bring in good, rich topsoil, sod, and care for it well.  A thick lawn is the best organic weed preventer ever produced.  You'll only get that if the soil and maintenance practices are good.  Things like corn gluten (a popular organic approach) simply don't work.  I've seen the test results, and it's a waste of money and time.

You'll need to get the lawn in good shape this Fall, then try to prevent the crabgrass in the Spring.  Start with improving the soil, then you can take the next steps to building a good lawn that will naturally keep out weeds and crabgrass.

Good luck my friend.

C.J. Brown
www.TheLawnCoach.com